Transgenic and genetically-engineered mutant animals serve as invaluable in vivo models for unraveling the molecular and genetic mechanisms leading to cancer and for evaluating new strategies for treating and preventing cancer. Efficient generation of transgenic and knockout animals requires great technical skill that is acquired only after extensive experience with animal husbandry and breeding, animal surgery, embryo manipulation, and micromanipulation. The Transgenic and Mutant Animal Shared Resource makes transgenic and knockout technologies accessible and affordable to the members of the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center (UWCCC). It uses the personnel, facilities and equipment from the campus-wide University of Wisconsin Biotechnology Center Transgenic Animal Facility (TAF). Services currently provided by the TAF include: ? Generation of transgenic mice and rats by pronuclear microinjection ? Cryopreservation of mouse and rat embryos ? Generation of knockout mice: generation of targeting vectors, generation of targeted embryonic stem (ES) cell clones, and generation of chimeric mice by injection of ES into host blastocyst ? Strain rederivations and ovarian transplants ? Other miscellaneous molecular biology and embryo services related to transgenic and knockout mouse production ? Consulting and training